My first Hassy arrived on 3 days ago!

[AHP]

I spent 20 years as an amateur, then 4 years ago went pro. I have been using EOS1D4 and EOS1DS3, but took the plunge this week and got a used H3D39 which has hardly been used and in mint condition.

I took it to a studio shoot yesterday where I was photographing a radio presenter and used it alongside the 1ds for my own confidence as I'm obviously not used to it yet and was a little nervous.

I was pretty gobsmacked when I uploaded the images later on. It was a direct comparison with the current best of DSLR vs medium format. For part of the session I was using a white background and whilst on the SLR this was 100% pure white (or 'burnt out'), on the hassy (absolutely identical settings) the white was full of detail and grey tones. So a white background for a medium format setup needs more power over the key light. I exposed the background 1 stop over as usual but this is obviously not enough, I think in the future I'll try 2 stops over; such is the incredible dynamic range of the H3. Whilst the images weren't ideal, I have learnt something and also have realised some of the fantastic capabilities of the H3.

I'm particularly glad because perhaps the main reason I bought it was for the dynamic range as I was always coming unstuck with the 35mm SLRs..

Has anyone else found this when setting up a white backdrop?

One other impression of the H3 is how unbelievably user UNfriendly and slow it is compared to the 35mm SLRs. Having the ISO buried within a menu is almost painful. But that doesn't matter - I'm keeping the EOS1D mk4 for fast and low light stuff and the hassey for the HQ stuff. The quality the hassey delivers is astounding and completely worth it!

I would be glad to hear of any other people's first impressions when they took the plunge, especially if they too came from a 35mm DSLR background.

 

[Analog6]

Even though I only have a H2 with a P20 digiback, I found exactly the same thins as you. I went this road for the increase in DR and have not been disappoint4d. I hope a larger back will be possible somewhere down the track but I am still delighted I went this way.

Coupled with capture One 5 for RAW processing the DR is greatly expanded, and this holds for the DSLR shots processed in C1 too, not as good as the med format, of course, but a better result than any other software I have tried.

 

[Professional]

Congratulations!

I am not a pro at any meaning, and i am just starting photography say in 2005, but i took the plunge in 2009 and bought NEW H3DII-39, i was like in a heaven, never believed i did buy a Hasselblad, and digital? that was even more than my dreams, i was very happy with 1Ds2 as it was my dream camera, but i don't know what happened and i even bought 1Ds3 and i am very happy with 1Ds3, but all that happened suddenly when i bought H3DII-39 then i will never touch any Canon cameras for low lights and studio shots, i did a test with H3DII-39 against 1Ds3, there was no comparison, the Hasselblad won in all aspects, i was using only ISO50-100, high ISO is not the only thing that i will use DSLR always, i did shoot 2 models with H3DII-39 and 1Ds3, the skin tones were a bit over exposed with 1Ds3 but with Hasselblad i was able to have great exposure and great skin tones and even colors.
Because of that i bought 6 film medium format cameras, not that only, but i even went to trade-in my H3DII-39 to H4D-60, what else i can ask for? The only thing i only ask for is to be a professional photographer.